Conceptual Study
by Pastor Paul
An understanding of how to study conceptually will help you in all your studies and in the preparation and presentation of sermons and Bible Studies to present to others.
If you are not clear in your own understanding and have not got it organised in a simple manner, you will never be able to communicate your ideas clearly to others to enable them to understand the concepts you are trying to put across to them.
Basically whenever we are studying the Bible we are trying to understand what it is actually saying. This involves understanding words, and background information such as history and even geographical locations but most of all the themes and ideas of any passage of scripture.
Conceptual study is a way of getting to the real meaning of the text by analysing the concepts (truths or ideas) in it, and stating them as clearly and simply as possible.
A useful starting place is to look at Hebrew poetry. The Psalmists and the Prophets wrote in a poetic style, which involved stating an idea and repeating it in a slightly different way. This was very conceptual and often very visual too. Here are some examples:
Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, (the idea that God is the source of our strength)
give unto the LORD glory and strength. (Psalm 29:1)
They will beat their swords into ploughshares (the idea of war ending)
and their spears into pruning hooks. (Micah 4.3)
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside still waters. (Psalm 23:2) (the idea of peace, calmness and rest)
The destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, (Isaiah 1:28)
and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
(the idea of Judgement - those who leave God out of their lives will be judged)
A wise son makes a glad father, (Young people need to learn wisdom)
but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. (Proverbs 10:1).
We might notice echoes of this method of writing by the apostle Paul who was obviously well aware of the Hebrew poetic method. Either way he was putting across ideas or concepts.
We will observe a sample conceptual outline of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus as an example.
What we will try to do is to understand exactly what those concepts are, and reach some conclusions about what he wanted us to understand and why.
I like to think of a passage of scripture as a suitcase full of ideas. It's amazing how much can be fitted into a suitcase. When you get to your destination you unpack it and everything you need is there if you have packed it carefully.
Conceptual study is like unpacking a suitcase:
Stage 1: OPEN THE SUITCASE - read the book or passage you want to analyse several times.
Stage 2: UNPACK THE SUITCASE carefully - set the ideas out as neatly and as briefly as possible on paper or work on your laptop - that way you can change things easily
Stage 3: LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE UNPACKED - You will need to go over this a number of times to refine your analysis of the book and make sure you haven't left anything out.
Stage 4: You can use this work as the basis of a Bible study or a series of Bible studies for others.
Take a look at this conceptual outline of Ephesians. I have included all the key concepts as briefly as possible but observe the titles that I have added to summarise the major themes of the letter and notice how I have set it all out clearly. It would take you about 30 minutes or more to read the letter but only about 5 minutes to read the conceptual outline - but everything is there!
A Conceptual Outline of the Apostle Paul’s letter to
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS
Address:
From: Paul Apostle of Christ Jesus – by the will of God
To: Saints in Ephesus – the faithful in Christ Jesus
Look what the Lord has done for us:
He has given us: Grace
Peace
Every spiritual blessing in heaven through Christ
He has:
Chosen us – to be holy and blameless
Predestined us – to be adopted as sons (according to His will)
Accepted us – through his Beloved Son
Redeemed us – with his blood
Forgiven us – according to His grace lavished upon us
Made known to us – the mystery of His will
(everything brought together under Christ)
Given us an inheritance
Sealed us with the Holy Spirit (the guarantee of the inheritance
What more could we need?
PAUL’S PRAYER I
(That we will understand & appreciate what He has given us)
God may give us: Spirit of wisdom & revelation
Eyes of understanding opened
To Know:
The hope of his calling
The riches of the glory
The greatness of His power-
As seen in Christ:
Raised from the dead
Seated at His right hand
Above all powers & names
All things under His feet
Head over all
Look at the way we were:
Dead in sin
Walked according to the course of this world
According to the prince of the power of the air
Sons of disobedience -
Lusts of the flesh
Living by the desires of flesh and mind
But God did not leave us there:
Rich in mercy
Great love for us
Made us alive with Christ
Raised us up
Seated us in heavenly places
Riches of his grace and kindness
Saved us by grace through faith
Created us in Christ for good works
GENTILES I
Gentiles are included now but once we were:
Without Christ
Aliens from Israel
Strangers to the covenant
No hope
Without God in the world
Far off
In Christ, The Gentiles are:
Brought near
He is our peace
Jew and Gentile made one
Wall of separation broken
Abolished law keeping
Reconciled Jew & Gentile to God
Access to the Father by the Son
No longer strangers
Fellow citizens
Members of the household of God
Built on the foundation of prophets and apostles
Holy Temple – the dwelling place of God
Gentiles now fellow heirs
Same Body
Partakers of the promise of Christ
Unsearchable riches of Christ
Fellowship of the mystery
- The manifold wisdom of God made known by the Church
PAUL’S PRAYER II
(That in view of all this we will live it out in our daily lives)
Strengthened with might through the Spirit
Christ may dwell in hearts by faith
Rooted and grounded in love
Able to: comprehend
know the love of Christ which passes knowledge
Filled with all the fullness of God
- To Him be glory in the Church forever
What is needed to walk worthy of this wonderful calling:
Lowliness
Gentleness
Longsuffering
Bearing one another in love
Keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
Unity/Oneness comes from:
One Body
One Spirit
One Hope
One Calling
One Lord
One Faith
One Baptism
One God – the Father
Above all
Through all
In us all
Each one of us is given grace to fulfil our calling:
Gift ministries are given to the church:
Apostles
Prophets
Evangelists
Pastors
Teachers
To equip the saints
To edify the Body of Christ
To bring unity of the faith
Knowledge of the Son of God
Maturity
Stature of the fullness of Christ
No longer children
Speaking the truth in love
Growing up in Christ
Body working effectively
Every part working
Growing
Edifying in love
GENTILES II
The way we were:
Futility of mind
Understanding darkened
Alienated from the life of God
Ignorant
Blindness of heart
Past feeling
Given over to: Lewdness
Uncleanness
Greediness
Now in Christ we should:
Put off our former conduct
Put off our old nature
Be renewed in the spirit of mind
Put on the new man
Put away lying
Be angry but without sin
No more stealing
No more bad words
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit
Put away bitterness & wrath
Be kind to one another
Forgive one another
Be imitators of God
Walk in love
Don’t even talk about sexual immorality (God’s wrath is on this)
We should all:
Walk in light
Walk wisely
Walk in submission:
Husbands and wives
Parents and Children
Employers and slaves
Be strong in the Lord
Stand against the devil
We need the armour of God:
belt of truth
breastplate of righteousness
gospel of peace
shield of faith
helmet of salvation
sword of the Spirit
Pray in the Spirit
Be alert
Pray for all the saints
Paul asks them to pray for him:
Words will come
Fearlessly proclaim the mystery of the gospel
Speak boldly
Tychicus the letter bearer will give information & encouragement
Peace, love, faith, grace from God the Father & Lord Jesus Christ.
In one sentence:
Ephesians is a wonderful exposition of the Christian life:
The way we were, what God has given us and what Christ has done for us
- and the way we should live in the light of this.